Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century. The word pafta is of Turkic origin-possibly entering the language via Iranian influence-derived from the Persian word bafta, meaning "woven," which evolved in Turkish to signify "plate." Today, the term is used in nearly identical forms in Romanian (pafta), Bulgarian (пафта), Serbian (пафте), and some Aromanian dialects (pafta), designating functional and ornamental clothing accessories used to fasten belts, girdles, or sashes, crafted from various materials and decorated using different techniques. The three buckles decorated in the polychrome enamel technique, preserved in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova, belong to the South-Danubian tradition and are dated to the late 19th - early 20th century.
Each buckle consists of two identical trapezoidal parts, their surfaces divided into three roughly equal registers, adorned with stylized vegetal motifs forming a metal lattice into which enamel is poured. The two parts extend into sharp angles at the ends, forming a triangle with the edge of the last decorative register, similarly ornamented. The enamel used to fill the floral motifs is black, turquoise, white, orange, green, yellow, and burgundy. The entire decorative field is framed by a beaded border.
On the reverse, both components retain a copper band riveted along the edge, used to fasten the ends of the belt. The fastening system, made by interlocking the hinges of the two parts and secured with a movable pin attached by a chain to a clasp fixed on one of the buckle pieces, is concealed by a rectangular plate (riveted with three pins to the body of the piece), with narrow edges ending in sharp angles, decorated in the same style and technique. Additionally, it features three circular settings with notched edges bent inward to hold centrally placed red and green glass paste. These settings are framed by a radiant, notched band.
The symbolism of the color palette encodes meanings and symbols, chosen for their believed magical powers. Red has always represented love, affection, and protection against curses and the evil eye; white symbolizes purity and spiritual and physical cleanliness; blue is symbolically associated with infinity, morning, new beginnings, and transformation; green represents destiny, hope, prosperity, balance, and rebirth, being linked to nature's revival each spring and to life itself.
Diplomatic efforts on the Bessarabian question during 1914-1916
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2015
Abstract
For a century since the beginning of the First World War the attention of Romanian and foreign historians was focused on the issues related to the period of neutrality of Romania, the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest by the second Crown Council (14/27 August 1916), and other issues related to the major events of that war. However, it is particularly important to undertake a re-inventorying of the initial sources and to understand how the negotiations on the issue of Bessarabia were conducted from the perspective of Russian and the Central Powers diplomacies in 1914-1916. The importance of research is increased by the fact that at the time the negotiations were held this issue wasn't a reference point for the Romanian diplomacy.
The problem of Bessarabia of 1914-1916 remains on the periphery of historical research. The paradox lies in the fact that there are no documents (not found), which could reveal the position of the Romanian government at this stage of the "Great War" (1914-1916) on the territorial issue of Bessarabia, annexed by Russia in 1812, as well as any requests or claims made by the Romanian government regarding the Romanians in Bessarabia, especially consid- ering the total lack of schools teaching in Romanian.
Maria Danilov
The library of Costache Tufescu: Reconstructions (1st half of 19th century)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Valuable books from the library of Paul Gore (Identification and/or inventory of sources)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Ion Ţurcanu, Bessarabiana. Teritoriul dintre Prut și Nistru în câteva ipostaze istorice și istoriografice, Editura: Cartdidact, Chișinău, 2012, 344 p. ISBN 978-9975-4337-0-9
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Dinu Poștarencu, Destinul românilor basarabeni sub dominația țaristă, Chișinău: CEP USM, 2012, 546 p. ISBN 978-9975-71-322-1
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Maria Danilov
Ştefan Plugaru, Teodor Candu, Episcopia Hușilor și Basarabia (1598-1949). Editura PIM, Iași, 2009, 360 p.
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IV [XIX], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century....
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
